1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for hybrid power management. Hybrid power management systems incorporate various power devices, such as batteries, solar panels, gas engines, and electrical systems, into a single operational power system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hybrid power systems integrate diverse power devices into a single working system. The power devices may include batteries, capacitors, and solar panels.
Some traditional hybrid power management systems use non-rechargeable batteries as a power source. Such power systems have a relatively low life cycle. Other power management systems may use rechargeable batteries, often nickel metal hydride batteries.
Even systems which include rechargeable batteries, however, have limited lifetimes. Rechargeable batteries can only be charged and discharged about 300 times. Therefore, batteries need to be replaced and discarded fairly frequently. This results in increased costs, both related to replacing the batteries and disposing of them in an environmentally safe manner. In addition, batteries do not perform very well at low temperatures and they may be difficult to replace in remote locations.
Thus, there is a need for a hybrid power management system that is reliable, easier to maintain, and cheaper to manage. Such a system can be provided by the present invention.